Written answers
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Trade Relations
3. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if goods already in transit from the United States to Ireland, such as large and bulky aircraft parts that are being brought into the country...
- Passport Services
4. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to review the correspondence (details supplied); if he will expedite the passport application; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Departmental Funding
5. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 988 of 24 June 2025, his views on the success of the Mitchell Scholarship Programme; his plans to ensure...
- Overseas Development Aid
6. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of Ireland’s GNI allocated to official development aid in 2024. [36483/25]
- Ukraine War
10. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of the most recent discussions at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in relation to the need to provide additional support for...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Energy Prices
11. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government how his Department is working to address the rising costs faced by householders on district heating systems. [36392/25]
- Energy Infrastructure
12. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a list of the number of district heating systems across Dublin. [36393/25]
- Renewable Energy Generation
13. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the implementation of the national biomethane strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Departmental Reviews
14. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 86 of 9 September 2024, if he will provide a copy of the findings of the mid-term...
- EU Regulations
15. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to provide a report on the meeting of EU environment Ministers (council) held on 17 June 2025; to outline Ireland’s...
- Litter Pollution
16. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department would consider the creation of a dedicated app to highlight the locations of public bins across Dublin to...
- Electric Vehicles
17. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government whether his Department will review the existing legal and regulatory framework governing kerbside electric vehicle...
- Department of Defence
- Departmental Expenditure
18. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 229 of 24 June 2025, the full amount paid to the private security firm mentioned in his reply; and if he...
- National Security
19. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to report on his Department’s work in conjunction with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the establishment of a...
- Defence Forces
21. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of times the Defence Forces has engaged in static guard and cash escorts for the Central Bank in each of the past four years. [36397/25]
- Naval Service
22. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to report on the work of the Joint Task Force on Drug Interdiction. [36398/25]
- Defence Forces
23. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces continues to provide security on campus at any prisons across Ireland. [36399/25]
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Public Transport
25. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an updated timeline for the full roll-out of contactless payment on Dublin Bus, and across the wider public transport...
- Road Safety
26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the publication of new guidelines on the implementation of lower speed limits in urban areas; and if he will make a...
- National Transport Authority
27. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Transport Authority is currently undertaking a tender process for bike sharing schemes in cities across Ireland; when this...
- Bus Services
28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the two core bus corridors scheduled for construction under BusConnects in quarter 3 or 4 of 2025 are proceeding as planned. [36416/25]
- EU Regulations
29. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the work of his Department in the development of a national position on the revision of EU Regulation U261/2004. [36418/25]
- Aviation Industry
30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the work of his Department in reviewing the National Aviation Policy 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Active Travel
31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on his Department’s delivery of active travel and greenway programmes. [36420/25]
- Road Safety
32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the delivery of the safe routes to school scheme. [36421/25]
- Rail Network
33. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when his Department will finalise the rail investment implementation strategy; and when the strategy will be published. [36422/25]
- Public Transport
35. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the work of officials within his Department in assessing public transport capital funding needs; and if he will make a...
- State Bodies
36. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to update on the CIÉ governance review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36425/25]
- Dublin Bus
37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the recent extension of the Dublin Bus pilot security scheme, and the routes under this scheme in Dún Laoghaire...
- Road Safety
38. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing universal speed limits of 10 km/h on shared spaces and active travel greenways. [36427/25]
- Active Travel
39. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider providing funding for a dedicated project manager at Local Authority level to ensure local authority active travel...
- Public Transport
40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if pets are allowed on public transport services; and if so, to list the services. [36429/25]
- Active Travel
41. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his Department’s policy in regard to the permeability of active travel projects when being connected through private residences....
- Departmental Staff
42. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of vacancies by job title currently within the railway investigation unit of his Department as of 25 June 2025; the expected...
- Rail Network
43. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated costs of providing a double rail track between Greystones and Rosslare Europort stations; and if he will make a statement on...
- Greenways Provision
45. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current status of the proposed greenway planned to run through Kinvara, County Galway; if he will provide an update on the timeline...
- Bus Services
46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide the current annual cost of the Local Link programme in rural areas; and if any assessments have been done on its effectiveness...
- Driver Test
47. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he can confirm the average waiting time for a BE (trailer) licence driving test in the Nenagh test centre; if there are any efforts...
- Bus Services
50. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will engage with the National Transport Authority to request a capacity review of the 101 route operated by Bus Éireann, in...
- Rail Network
52. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for the frequency of works on the northern commuter line during bank holiday weekends; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Public Transport
54. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether additional public transport services, including DART, Luas and bus, are provided for concerts and major events; and if he will...
- Electric Vehicles
57. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether he will engage with local authorities and relevant stakeholders to develop national guidance for the roll-out of safe, accessible...
- Rail Network
59. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an updated timeline for completion of the Dart+ West project in light of a dropped judicial case against it; and if he will make a...
- Air Navigation Orders
61. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline whether AirNav have statutory responsibility for regulating our airspace, particularly in relation to the use of unmanned...
- Public Transport
62. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be sought for a smart demand responsive transport service between Belleek in Fermanagh and Ballyshannon in Donegal; and if...
- Department of Finance
- Tax Reliefs
63. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department is considering increasing the maximum property purchase price under the help-to-buy scheme. [36552/25]
- Tax Credits
67. To ask the Minister for Finance for an update on the consultation on future reform of the Research & Development (R&D) Corporation Tax credit; his policy priorities in...
- Tax Reliefs
69. To ask the Minister for Finance if an individual purchasing a home under the incremental purchase scheme from a local authority can avail of the help-to-buy scheme; who ultimately makes the...
- Tax Exemptions
70. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will examine the tax exemption on adapted disability which has remained unchanged for twenty years despite increased costs of vehicles, VAT, and VRT...
- Tax Code
71. To ask the Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to differentiated rates of Capital Gains Tax for different scenarios. [36600/25]
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Artificial Intelligence
72. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department collates data on the level of expenditure across Government in relation to the adoption of AI; if there are plans to...
- Office of Public Works
73. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW will put out a contract for the provision of mobile tea, coffee and light refreshments service at Casino Marino, Dublin 3, in...
- Capital Expenditure Programme
75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update regarding the completion of the national children's science centre; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Enterprise Policy
76. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures taken to advance an entrepreneurial spirit and culture over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Foreign Direct Investment
77. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has considered measures to incentivise multinational companies operating in Ireland to establish corporate headquarters in the...
- Industrial Development
78. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the IDA capital investment programme, including plans to provide new next-generation strategic industrial sites...
- Business Supports
79. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline Government policy on increasing grant support for businesses as part of Ireland’s industrial strategy, including...
- EU Regulations
80. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on his Department’s role in co-ordinating and collating Ireland’s position on the EU proposal for a ban on...
- Enterprise Policy
81. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of companies in which Enterprise Ireland holds shares, including plans to further invest in companies in an effort to crowd...
- Consumer Protection
82. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment will he consider introducing regulations to protect consumers from unfair advertising practices on property websites, with the aim to...
- Employment Rights
83. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on Employment Regulation Orders (supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36550/25]
- Enterprise Policy
84. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to provide additional funding and to introduce changes to policy in order to support the new Enterprise Ireland Strategy...
- Work Permits
85. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider expanding the requirements of the labour market needs test to include roles advertised on the Public Appointments...
- Department of Education and Skills
- National Educational Psychological Service
86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the pilot programme for counselling services in seven schools, whether the programme has been formally evaluated; and if so, when the...
- Special Educational Needs
88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans in relation to educational assessments; specifically, if she intends to review the use of standardised tests in light of evidence...
- School Transport
90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an issue can be addressed in relation to school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36292/25]
- School Accommodation
91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances in which a school (details supplied) is disposing of its premises for a reported €5 million and is to be accommodated in...
- School Funding
92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of issues impacting a school (details supplied) regarding the minority works grant; if she has any plans to increase funding for...
- Teacher Training
93. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teacher upskilling programmes for STEM subjects such as maths, physics and chemistry which were run in each year since 2018; the...
- Teaching Qualifications
94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department plans to address the gaps in teacher data whereby the number of STEM teachers in employment in schools across the country is not...
- School Funding
95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the increase in the capitation grant to a school (details supplied) given on a “once-off” basis in 2024 will be paid again in...
- Special Educational Needs
97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an appeal for a child (details supplied) for the home-based summer programme; and if she will make a statement on...
- Departmental Functions
99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the work of her Department in completing the transfer of outstanding functions to the Department of Further and Higher Education,...
- Special Educational Needs
100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact of the special schools redesignation on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36406/25]
- School Enrolments
109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of first year places offered for the 2025-2026 school term for post primary schools within the Donaghmede Dublin 13 school planning...
- Special Educational Needs
111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the names of schools that are providing the summer education programme in the Dublin 5, 13 and 17 postcode areas, in tabular form. [36509/25]
- School Facilities
112. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update regarding an application for a sports hall made by a school in 2018 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the...
- School Funding
113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a timeline for the introduction of a new national small schools project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36562/25]
- Special Educational Needs
114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will introduce special educational needs co-ordinators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36563/25]
- School Funding
115. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to the amount by which the capitation grant will increase per pupil within the lifetime of this Government; and...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio
116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a timeline within which the Government will reduce class sizes to 19 pupils, as stated in the programme for Government; and if she will make...
- Special Educational Needs
117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why the NCSE has decided not to go ahead with creating an ASD class in a school (details supplied); to provide a timeline for when the school...
- Teacher Training
118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason counselling courses, particularly for teachers who are guidance counsellors, are not included under the teacher fee refund scheme on...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Swimming Pools
119. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps Galway County Council should take to secure funding for a swimming pool in Loughrea, County Galway. [36259/25]
- Sports Funding
120. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the details of the next round of the sports capital grant fund will be announced; the amount of funding expected...
- Sports Events
121. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider making an application for a future stage of the Tour de France to be held in Ireland, potentially...
- Arts Policy
122. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to support the development of arts and cultural facilities in Kilkenny; and if he will make a...
- National Broadband Plan
124. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the National Broadband Ireland roll-out across County Kilkenny; the number of houses that have benefitted...
- Sports Events
126. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on the major international sports events policy and strategy framework; the major sporting events being...
- Postal Services
127. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will ensure the additional €15 million is provided to the postal network in order that it can continue to...
- Artists' Remuneration
128. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the next opportunity for artists to be included in a universal basic income for artists project will be; if the...
- Arts Funding
129. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to report on the work of his Department in supporting local theatres, and any information available on support for...
- National Broadband Plan
130. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to report on the roll-out of upgrades to urban broadband in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown. [36439/25]
- Broadcasting Sector
131. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the supports available for local community radio stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Arts Funding
132. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will investigate the possibility of establishing a dedicated funding scheme to assist amateur dramatic groups...
- Sports Funding
133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of funding provided to the Irish Martial Arts Commission and Kickboxing Ireland by the State in each of the...
- Sports Organisations
135. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment If he will provide an overview of the engagement between his Department and the Irish Martial Arts Commission and...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Local Authorities
136. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when his Department will issue a section 28 directive to local authorities to commence the review of their county development...
- Waterways Issues
137. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the up-to-date position regarding a project (details supplied); the likely timeline for this project to proceed to the next...
- Housing Provision
138. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average waiting time for social housing allocation in each local authority in 2024 and 2025; and the average length of...
- Wildlife Conservation
139. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current status of the Corncrake LIFE programme; if the programme will be extended beyond December 2025; in what capacity...
- Wild Fires
140. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if further to the recent fires on Tara Hill, Gorey, County Wexford, there will be a review or recommendations into the matter...
- Rental Sector
141. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if, in the context of the reform of the private rental sector, he accepts that an unintended consequence of changes could be...
- Housing Schemes
142. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if, in respect of those landlords with four properties or fewer, who had intended their properties to be part of a pension...
- Planning Issues
143. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the public consultation on widening planning exemptions to allow people to build garden rooms and...
- Local Authorities
144. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide a list of the dates at which processes and consultation around local authority development plans will begin over...
- Housing Schemes
145. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department is considering increasing the €475,000 cap on new builds in Dublin under the first home scheme. [36551/25]
- State Bodies
146. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of planners employed by An Bord Pleanála, broken down by grade, from 2014 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he...
- Housing Provision
147. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends to introduce an additional Project Tosaigh, with provision for small developers; and if he will make a statement...
- Housing Schemes
148. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current allowances payable under the mortgage allowance scheme to assist householders who are tenants or tenant purchasers...
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Benefits
149. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 576 of 24 June 2025, if consideration was given to the application of the new...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
150. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update any proposals that are being considered with respect to abolishing the means test for carers who save the State...
- Social Welfare Schemes
151. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of people who received successful HAS 2 award payments for Storm Bert and Storm Éowyn, in each county, in...
- Departmental Schemes
152. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of employers claiming wage subsidy scheme funding under each of the three strands, for each year from 2020 to...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
153. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the back-to-school allowance will be payable to every child in care without being means tested; and if he will make a...
- Social Welfare Rates
154. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of increasing community employment, Tús and rural social scheme payments by €1...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
157. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of abolishing the means test applied to foster parents in receipt of the child benefit...
- Social Welfare Rates
158. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of increasing the State pension by €1 per week per person. [36573/25]
- Social Welfare Eligibility
160. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the additional first-year and full-year cost of increasing the age limit for the one-parent family payment to 12 years. [36575/25]
- Social Welfare Rates
161. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the additional first-year and full-year cost of increasing the living alone allowance. [36576/25]
- Social Welfare Payments
162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current cost of non-State pension social protection payments to people aged 65. [36577/25]
- Social Welfare Eligibility
163. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of children resident in IPAS accommodation who are eligible to receive the child benefit payment. [36578/25]
- Social Welfare Benefits
164. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of providing a carer’s pension, at 2% contribution of the minimum annual living...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- National Security
166. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the absence of a security clearance system for commercial entities in Ireland. [36395/25]
- Control of Firearms
167. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised in correspondence from a national association (details supplied);...
- Prison Service
168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the channels that exist for a prisoner in the UK, with family connections in Ireland, to be transferred to the Irish prison...
- International Protection
169. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on efforts to develop recommendations for the Government on a contribution model for people in international...
- Domestic Violence
170. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 920 of 11 February 2025, the number of calls made to An Garda Síochána, by...
- Sentencing Policy
171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied with the current approach to the possession of knives in public places; if he will review sentencing...
- Crime Prevention
174. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when community safety partnerships will be established; if he is aware that the delay is impacting communities where task...
- EU Regulations
175. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on his Department’s engagement with, and contribution to, the Government’s position on the EU...
- Visa Applications
176. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality how a person (details supplied) can go about getting a visa refund given the long delays in processing times; and if he will...
- Artificial Intelligence
177. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce legislation that will criminalise individuals who use artificial intelligence to produce and distribute...
- Citizenship Applications
178. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for processing of Irish citizenship applications via Irish association, in particular those who submitted...
- Visa Applications
179. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current average processing time for join family visa applications made by non-EU spouses of Irish citizens; and his...
- International Protection
180. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 25 June 2025, if he will provide the information which was not provided regarding...
- Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
181. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality how his Department intends to rebuild trust among victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender based violence who may...
- Legislative Measures
183. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a timeline on legislation to implement the recommendations of the disregard scheme in relation to a mechanism to formally...
- An Garda Síochána
184. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who have retired, by year and by rank, in each county, from 2020 to 26 June 2025, in tabular form....
- Asylum Applications
185. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way his Department determines an applicant’s country of origin in cases where no identification is presented at the...
- Miscarriages of Justice
187. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the number of certificates of miscarriage of justice that have been issued since the establishment of...
- Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
188. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality of any opportunity arising within his Department that could provide additional support to the Galway Rape Crisis Centre to...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Horse Racing Industry
189. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with Horse Racing Ireland to explore the possibility of opening racecourse lands in Leopardstown for public use as...
- Animal Sales
190. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the requirements that must be fulfilled for a person to deal cattle below 100 in number; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Agriculture Supports
192. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the payment supports available to small suckler farmers who are not in receipt of any agricultural payments or supports; and if he...
- Agriculture Schemes
193. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the proposed early retirement scheme for farmers will be introduced; if an upper age limit of 70 years will be considered for...
- Domestic Pets
194. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to create a national database of dog DNA in conjunction with dog licences, to aid the identification of those dogs...
- Wildlife Protection
195. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current number of deer management units (DMU’s) nationally; the current number of staff employed in each DMU; the current...
- Departmental Staff
196. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacancies currently in each departmental local office; whether the number of FRS operatives across all regions has been...
- Nitrates Usage
197. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update in relation to the retention of the Nitrates Derogation as per the Nitrates Derogation Renewal Plan published in August...
- Agriculture Schemes
198. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update regarding the ‘Better Farming for Water’ advisory programme; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Animal Culls
199. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of badgers that have been culled to date in 2025; the number that have been vaccinated for bovine TB (bTB); of those...
- Animal Diseases
200. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 20 May 2025, how he intends to “reduce the impact of known high risk animals in...
- Wild Fires
202. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if further to the recent fires on Tara Hill, Gorey, County Wexford there will be a review or recommendations into the matter (details...
- Animal Welfare
203. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address matters concerning the mysterious deaths of a large number of the farm animals (details supplied); and if he will...
- Agriculture Industry
204. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the numbers of TB reactors for each of the past five years, in tabular form, that were compensated at the maximum rate; how the...
- Department of Children, Disability and Equality
- Nursing Homes
205. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people under 65 who have transitioned out of nursing homes since 2021; the number in the same cohort who have entered...
- Disability Services
206. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale behind cutting the budget for the enhanced quality of life scheme, which supports personal assistants and electric...
- Care Services
207. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the first-year and full-year cost of increasing the weekly foster care allowance by €10. [36585/25]
- Childcare Services
208. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the immediate and long-term measures being taken to address the severe shortage of childcare places; how the Government is planning...
- Departmental Reviews
210. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the review of the regulatory framework for school-age children will be complete. [36385/25]
- Childcare Services
211. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on her Department’s work to progress the public provision of childcare. [36386/25]
- Departmental Strategies
213. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the outcomes of the public consultation process for the National Strategy for Women and Girls, conducted earlier this...
- Equality Issues
214. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on the progress of her Department’s work to establish a gender pay gap IT portal. [36389/25]
- Disability Services
215. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current waiting time for children’s therapy services, speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy under the...
- Detention Centres
218. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the last health and safety review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus took place, when the next health and safety review...
- Rights of the Child
221. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she intends to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law; if so, the proposed...
- Family Resource Centres
222. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an application for family resource centre status for an organisation in County Kerry will be expedited (details supplied); and if...
- Department of Health
- Medicinal Products
223. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the Medicines Management Programme plan to move all high protein oral supplements to List B; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36243/25]
- Hospital Procedures
224. To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of blood tests for Letterkenny University Hospital that are outsourced from March 2024; the cost of this outsourcing during this period; the...
- Nursing Homes
225. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people in nursing homes living with early onset Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions; and if she will make a...
- Hospital Services
227. To ask the Minister for Health the reason Cherry Orchard Hospital campus is not being used to provide a full range of services for people with neurodegenerative conditions in Dublin Mid-West...
- Food Labelling
228. To ask the Minister for Health the reason she continues to deflect responsibility for bilingual food and drink labelling to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the...
- Medical Cards
230. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to granting an automatic entitlement to a medical card to patients who are prescribed oxygen (details supplied). [36256/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status
231. To ask the Minister for Health when an appointment will be made for a person (details supplied) who has been referred for cataract surgery at University Hospital Limerick; and if she will...
- Departmental Schemes
232. To ask the Minister for Health to examine the case for an addition to the drugs payment scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36269/25]
- Product Labelling
233. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the updated regulations on alcohol labelling including calorie content, health warnings and other information; and if she will make a...
- Public Sector Pensions
235. To ask the Minister for Health whether the widow or widower of a person formerly employed by the health service, predating the introduction of PRSI for public servants, has an entitlement to...
- Health Services
236. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the cases of two young children (details supplied) who have undergone surgery for hip dysplasia; and when their family will receive their review...
- Mental Health Services
237. To ask the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive psychological services through CAMHS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36289/25]
- Assisted Human Reproduction
238. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the progress of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022, including the establishment of the Assisted Human...
- Mental Health Services
239. To ask the Minister for Health the number of mental health patients currently receiving treatment in facilities in the United Kingdom funded by the HSE; the length of time each patient has...
- Health Strategies
240. To ask the Minister for Health the expected capital expenditure required in future years to underpin the implementation in full of ‘Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
241. To ask the Minister for Health the current wait times for appointments at the epilepsy monitoring unit at a hospital (details supplied); the number of patients currently awaiting...
- Hospital Equipment
243. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for the installation of a PET scanner at University Hospital Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36356/25]
- Hospital Facilities
244. To ask the Minister for Health if a hospital (details supplied) in Cork will provide the full allocation of beds in its dementia unit to the public; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Hospital Staff
248. To ask the Minister for Health the staffing numbers at the national paediatric allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (bone marrow) unit in St. James’s Hospital, broken down...
- Dental Services
249. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children in Fingal west who attended an HSE dentist in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a...
- Health Services Waiting Lists
250. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time for general adult psychological counselling, including HSE primary care psychology and GPs referring to mental health services; and...
- National Treatment Purchase Fund
252. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of public funding that has been allocated to the NTP fund in 2024 and 2025; and the amount of that funding that has been used for outsourcing public...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
253. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time, by hospital group and speciality, for inpatient and day-case procedures; and the five longest specialties in terms of average wait...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
254. To ask the Minister for Health if she will accept the Labour Court’s recommendation to extend the special scheme of paid leave for certain eligible public health sector employees...
- Healthcare Policy
255. To ask the Minister for Health if she is considering including fibromyalgia as a long-term illness; if she will consider access for patients to GP visit cards/medical cards regardless of...
- Medicinal Products
256. To ask the Minister for Health if she will instruct the HSE to cease plans to move all high-protein oral nutritional supplements to list B (details supplied); and if she will make a...
- Hospital Procedures
257. To ask the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments, including surgeries and procedures, carried out in Tallaght University Hospital on a Saturday from 2022 to date in 2025,...
- Health Services Staff
258. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE psychiatrists, by grade, based at Springfield/Tallaght primary care centre in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form;...
- Health Services Waiting Lists
261. To ask the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive support services of speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychology services; and if she will make a statement...
- Hospital Facilities
262. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline plans to improve the feeding, bathing and mobility facilities at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, for young children who have...
- Healthcare Policy
263. To ask the Minister for Health to outline details of the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and...
- Primary Care Centres
266. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the requirement for a GP referral to access services at the Balbriggan Primary Care Centre, the specific measures her Department is taking to...
- Dental Services
267. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE dental nurses and dental hygienists based at Coolock Primary Care Centre in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [36506/25]
- Hospital Procedures
268. To ask the Minister for Health the number of surgeries cancelled at University Hospital Limerick, by surgery type and reason for cancellation, in tabular form, since January 2023; and if she...
- Ambulance Service
269. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department pays third-party ambulance providers such as St. John of God to deliver pre-hospital emergency care on behalf of the HSE; and if she will...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
270. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE will implement the terms of a recent Labour Court recommendation to extend the temporary special scheme of paid leave for public health service...
- Hospital Appointments Status
271. To ask the Minister for Health if an urgent case concerning a patient in County Kerry (details supplied) can be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36608/25]
- Health Services Staff
272. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the recruitment of qualified radiographers from third level institutions in the State who have graduated in 2025; and if she will make a...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
273. To ask the Minister for Health that considering 31% of patients from an NAI survey reported waiting times of one to two years to see a neurologist, the measures she is taking to increase...
- Health Services
274. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people who have not been able to access community neurorehabilitation services over the past 12 months. [36614/25]
- Health Services Staff
275. To ask the Minister for Health the number of neurology nurse specialists in place; and the number by which she is going to increase this. [36615/25]
- Hospital Facilities
276. To ask the Minister for Health if she will commit to funding an additional 25 specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation beds for the Dublin-midlands region; and if she will commit to funding...
- Home Help Service
277. To ask the Minister for Health if additional home help hours will be put in place for a person (details supplied) as a matter of urgency. [36617/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status
278. To ask the Minister for Health if an appointment for surgery can be scheduled for a person as soon as possible (details supplied). [36618/25]
- Department of Education and Skills
- Departmental Funding
279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason funding to an organisation was cut (details supplied); if he will review the allocation; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Further and Higher Education
280. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason external authenticators for Further and Higher Education are subject to tax on travel and subsistence fees (details supplied), unlike...
- Grant Payments
281. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the means by which a SUSI grant applicant (details supplied), who is being accommodated through the rent-a-room scheme, can satisfy the...
- Research Funding
282. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total Government funding provided for third level research activities in each of the past five years; the Government’s target for...
- Apprenticeship Programmes
284. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of participants in apprenticeships in each of the past five years; the Government funding provided towards apprenticeships in...
- Education and Training Provision
285. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of participants in Springboard+ programmes in each of the past five years; the Government funding provided to the programme in...
- Education Policy
286. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the process of designation of institutes for higher education institutes will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36353/25]
- Departmental Funding
287. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) is recognised as a ‘designated institute’ will it have access to funding streams like other HEIs...
- Further and Higher Education
289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures and strategies his Department undertakes in addressing the reasons behind a decline of HEI student numbers in 2023 and 2024 from...
- Education and Training Provision
291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in what quarter of 2025 is the Sligo NZETB training centre, MSLETB set to be complete. [36408/25]
- Departmental Funding
292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures in place to support the Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education Institutions; to list the institutions which received...
- Further and Higher Education
293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to list the 11 institutions where students with disabilities can enrol in path 4 phase 2 courses under the national access plan. [36410/25]
- Departmental Bodies
294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the number of currently vacant positions on boards of management of aegis bodies under his Department. [36411/25]
- Further and Higher Education
295. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the distribution of new core funding posts under budget 2025, by institution. [36412/25]
- Departmental Meetings
296. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of regional dialogue meetings held by his Department in 2023. [36413/25]
- Further and Higher Education
297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students enrolled in each of the 19 programmes under the National Tertiary Office. [36414/25]
- Departmental Consultations
298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of a further sectoral consultation with providers engaging with the new learner protection fund. [36415/25]
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Departmental Programmes
299. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for an update on the efforts to ensure through negotiations that the LEADER programme continues to be funded under pillar 2 of the...
- Rural Schemes
300. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the local improvement scheme will be open for applications in 2026; if so, when local authorities will be provided with the...
